Blancpain

Blancpain’s history begins in the village of Villeret, where it was founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, a schoolmaster turned watchmaker. With this founding year, Blancpain claims the right to be the oldest watch brand in the world. The horology house’s Villeret collection embodies this long and successful corporate history of traditional watchmaking while attesting to the…

Blancpain graced the world with the first modern diver's watch back in 1953. While Rolex paved the way with the first water-resistant Oyster Perpetual watch as far back as 1926, the Fifty Fathoms used the wisdom of amateur diver and Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter to define the essential features of diving watches. This includes characteristics…

Luxury: what is it? What is it that so entices us to invest our money in it? At every restaurant, on every train, every street, you will most likely see somebody indulging in a luxury product or experience. A mechanical watch, a world-class hotel, a vintage car – the list is endless. But why do…

It's been another extraordinary year for us all, and the watch world is no exception. That is why the Swisswatches team sat down once more to comprise a list of our top watches of 2021. From horological giant OMEGA to independent watchmaker Armin Strom, we are presenting you with 24 special highlights to emerge from…

The new Blancpain Air Command is based on a historic timepiece that was only produced very limitedly in the 1950s. As a result, these originals always fetch large sums at auction. Now the descendant of the Blancpain Pilot's Watch appears in a titanium or red gold case. The watch also features a chronograph with flyback…

At this year's United Nations World Oceans Day, which took place online, Swiss watchmaker Blancpain served as the official presenting partner. The theme for 2021 was "The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods". Among others, those participating included the likes of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and actor Sam Waterson. Working with expeditions Ever since its…

Blancpain is reissuing a timepiece from the 1960s. The Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad Limited Edition pays tribute to the original, which was delivered primarily to the combat swimmers of the German Navy. A special feature is the "no radiations" logo on the dial, which indicates the absence of radium. As a limited…

When Patek Philippe first tasked designer Gerald Genta with the creation of the Nautilus, all former conventions went out of the window. To some, the creation of a shockingly sporty steel watch by a traditional luxury brand like Patek seemed almost grotesque. What’s more, it brazenly went against the trends of its time by putting…

A near-fatal diving accident is responsible for Swiss watch manufacture Blancpain’s significant contribution to the mechanical diving watch. While other major players such as Rolex, Omega, and Panerai have also earned themselves a certain reputation in this area of expertise, Blancpain can lay claim to having developed decisive features as early as the 1950s with…

While many of us will admittedly be glad to bid farewell to 2020, the watch community will nevertheless be looking back fondly on the wonderful mechanical creations to emerge from this unusual year. That's why, here at Swisswatches Magazine, we compiled a list of our favourite timepieces to come out of the horology industry in…

Blancpain is presenting a new model in the Bathyscaphe collection. The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Sedna combines a blue dial and bezel with a Sedna gold case for the first time. It comes with a choice of a blue NATO textile strap or a blue canvas strap. The Bathyscaphe (pronounced: "Batiskaf", a type of…

Blancpain has added two unique additions to its most classic collection in the form of a new Villeret Quantième Complet and a Villeret Ultraplate. Both wristwatches are housed in an 40mm 18-carat red-gold case and – for the first time – the red-gold material of the cases, Roman numerals and sage leaf-shaped hands have been…